Founded in 1932 and a FIFA member since 1964, the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) is yet to see one of its national teams take part in a FIFA tournament. That long wait will come to an end at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival™ in Azerbaijan this October, which will bring together around 190 Member Associations (MAs) for its inaugural edition.

The historic occasion represents an important milestone for LeFA, which has worked tirelessly in recent years to identify and develop the country’s young talent. The competition will provide those players with a valuable platform and the chance to gain important experience.

“It will give them the opportunity to test themselves on the pitch against players of the same age from all over the world,” explained Sam Smith, who was appointed FIFA Talent Coach in Lesotho in 2025. “I hope they come back with a better understanding of themselves as footballers, their strengths and the areas where they can still improve.

“Beyond what happens on the pitch, I hope they gain a greater awareness of the opportunities and pathways football can offer them, while also using the experience to meet people from very different cultures. And, of course, I hope they come home with memories that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”

Smith’s own journey makes the adventure particularly poignant. The 32-year-old New Zealander has travelled a long way to reach the small kingdom surrounded by South Africa, having previously coached in New Zealand, at the Debreceni VSC academy in Hungary and at the Villarreal CF Academy in Spain.

“I came halfway across the world and made a big change in my life to be here in Lesotho, and now I have the opportunity to go with these players on their own journey across the world for what could be a once in a lifetime experience! I am sure it will be a highlight of my career,” he said of the U-15 World Cup. The young Likuena are preparing meticulously for the tournament, with a schedule that includes friendly matches against South Africa and Eswatini.

“As this is a brand-new competition with some adapted rules, we have been training the 8v8 context and trying to consider how the adaptations could influence the game, as well as which technical and tactical ideas might be most important,” Smith explained. “I expect the speed of the game to be high, so we are trying to replicate that rhythm in training.”

Lesotho’s efforts to prepare their young players for the highest level, however, began long before this tournament. The country was among the very first of FIFA’s MAs to implement the FIFA Talent Development Scheme, launching the initiative in 2023.

“In Lesotho there is a residential academy, so I work alongside the local coaches to deliver a full-time training programme for the academy players. We train almost every day and play in domestic competitions,” Smith said of his role.

“Alongside the day-to-day training, we have been on a talent identification tour across the ‘Mountain Kingdom’, sometimes at thousands of metres above sea level, to host talent identification events or attend tournaments. Hundreds of players have taken part, and we are looking to identify more talented players so that the academy can be expanded in the coming years, creating a pipeline of talent for the country.

Lesotho’s geography and terrain illustrate some of the challenges member associations can face in developing football – and the lengths they must go to overcome them. A mountainous country, Lesotho is the only nation in the world whose entire territory lies more than 1,000 metres above sea level. The talent, however, is there, as is an unmistakable desire to improve.

“The players have a real desire to improve and are very coachable. We have worked a lot on the importance of what goes on before, after and alongside training to help players prepare for, recover from, and review training,” Smith explained.

“Yes, what we do on the training pitch is fundamentally important, but other things like mobility, video sessions, reflecting on your own game and analysing high level football can enhance their development. Overall, I feel we have taken some important steps towards creating an elite youth development environment and enabling the players to train at a higher level.”

The U-15 World Cup will give Lesotho the opportunity to measure that progress on the international stage. For LeFA and the players alike, their first appearance at a FIFA competition will, above all, represent an important milestone in a long-term project that will continue well beyond the tournament, with the ambition of producing a new generation of talent in Lesotho.